Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 4.djvu/344

 282 NOTES AND QUERIES. no* B. iv. OCT. 7, IMS. " Committed prisoner to the Gatehouse 13 April, 1655, by a Warrant from the late Lord Protector, signed 'Oliver P.,' in which warrant no cause ol commitment is mentioned. "After three years' imprisonment removed to the Tower of London, where he continued two nights, from whence he was sent to Jersey, in com- pany with Major-General Overton, where he re- mained six months. "He saith that he served the King and Parlia- ment in arms in Ireland; and raised a troop of horse and troop of dragoons at the beginning of the Rebellion. "Served the King under the Lord of Ormond and was major-general of his horse. " That he was a prisoner in Ireland. " That he had his liberty to go into Holland. "That he never gave any parole. " Going for Holland wa» by stress of weather driven into the Isle of Man. " When that Island was taken made the articles for Lady Derby for the deliverance thereof, and had then articles for himself to live in any part of the Dominions of the Commonwealth without molestation. " Denied that he was at Worcester with the King of Scots. "That he would give his parole, or such security as shall be demanded, for his further peaceable behaviour." Sir Thomas Armstrong was discharged on 30 June, 1659. In his bond* he described himself "of Waliva [sic], Cumberland " ; and Philip Armstrong and Matthew Clifford, both of Westminster, were sureties "in 1,000/. that Sir Thomas shall do nothing prejudicial to the peace of the Commonwealth.''! After the Restoration Sir Thomas Armstrong petitioned Charles II. that his former mili- tary posts in Ireland might be again con- ferred on him.J This petition was granted, and Armstrong not only obtained a troop of horse, but was restored to his post as Quarter- master-General of the Cavalry in Ireland.§ And as a reward for his loyalty the king granted to Sir Thomas Armstrong, by patent, dated 14 December, 1660, " power to coin farthing tokens of copper for Ireland."|i This grant was for twenty-one years. The gallant Sir Thomas died in Dublin, — November, 1662. His willTT is dated 19 November, 1662, and after mentioning that he is " sick in body, but of sound and perfect memory," he continues, "I give all my estate both reall and personal! to my well- • 'Cal. S. P. Dom.,' 1659. J 'Cal. S. P. Ireland,' under general date of 8 April, 1661. § Ibid. II Quoted in ' N. & Q.,' 3rd S. x. 353. If A certified copy of this will, from the Record Office of Ireland, Dublin, is in the writer's posses- sion. Said«will was proved by Capt. Thos. Arm- strong, the sole executor, 31 January, 1662.3. beelovedsonneCaptaineThomasArmstronge." Here we have positive proof that in November, 1662, Thomas Armstrong the younger-the future victim of the Rye House Plot—had not been knighted by Charles II. when in exile, as suggested in the ' Biographia Britan- niua,' or a month after the Restoration, as stated in the ' Diet. Nat. Biog.' The fact remains that it has never been discovered when the second Sir Thomas Armstrong was knighted, but it is believed to have been soon after his father's death. Another im- portant point is proved by the first Sir Thomas Armstrong's will, as the testator makes special mention of the aforesaid grant to coin farthings for Ireland :— "Item I leave and bequeath to Colonel William Legg the full halfe and nioyetie of all the benefit* and profitt that shall hereafter growe due and accrue for or by reason of a graunt to mee from his Majestic for twentie one yeares for the utteringe of toakines and farthings." This bequest quashes the idea that it was the second Sir Thomas Armstrong on whom the patent for coining farthings was conferred in 1660. Ruding (quoting from Simon) thus refers to the original patent granted by Charles II. for coining farthings in Ireland : " In 1680, the son of Sir Thomas Armstrong stated in a petition to the King that neither his father nor himself were ever admitted to make use of this grant nor to obtain allowance from the chief governor of Ireland to issue the said tokens."* On 18 May, 1680, a second patent for twenty- one years was granted to Sir Thomas Arm- strong, Knt, and Col. George Legge (after- wards Lord Dartmouth). These two grantees sold their patent in June, 1680, to John Knox, Alderman of Dublin. CHARLES DALTOX. 3'2, West Cromwell Road, S W. CONSUL SMITH AND HIS WILL. (See ante, p. 221.) THE will was opened by the Notary Gabriel!, and translated into Italian. This translation was certified as literal aurl accurate by William Ouchterlony and Richard Doyle, on 7 January, 1770 mart Veneto, that is 1771. Both translation and original are among the Notary Gabrieli's papers (Archivio di Stato, Venice, Sezione Notarile, Testament!. Atti Lodovico Ga- brieli. Busta 500. No. 184). The will runs thus :— 1 Joseph Smith late Consul of his Britannic Majesty to the most Serene Republic of Venice lumbly acknowledging the many and great mercys that God of his infinite goodness hath been pleased
 * Quoted at 3r* S. x. 353.